Top 10 Healthy Foods For Our Brain
Overview
Do you know, the human brain
is the fattiest organ in the body, and almost 60% of it is made up of fat!
According to research, the
brain consists of about 86 billion brain cells (neurons).
Research also suggests that
our brain can generate 23 watts of power through an electrochemical process,
enough to power a light bulb.
The
brain is a big deal. It controls all our senses, cognitive responses, memory, learning,
ability to handle stress, complex problems, or simple daily tasks.
It is the command center of
our body, and from the heart to the lung, all of our
organs depend upon it.
A healthy brain needs enough
amount of oxygen and other nutrients. A healthy brain consumes 20% of
the body’s total oxygen supply.
Our brain can only survive 5
to 6 minutes after the oxygen or blood supply is cut off.
So, we need healthy foods
for our brain which provide proper nutrients and help to function properly.
The brainstorming
puzzles are not enough to keep our brains in top order. What we eat can have a
significant impact on this vital organ.
Here is the importance of brain
nourishing foods, such as almonds, avocado, blueberry, green tea, etc.
read more: 11 Symptoms Of High Blood Sugar That Is Really Worrying
Top 10 Brain-Boosting Foods
Our
brain is an energy-intensive body part and it needs good sources of fuel to
function properly throughout the day.
It
consumes 20% of the calories we eat, and requires enough amounts of calories,
oxygen, certain nutrients, like healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants
to stay healthy.
Brain
foods are those stuff that provides plenty of
good fuel as well as nutrients to the brain and play an important role in brain
functioning.
1. Brain Boosting Nuts
Nuts
are a healthy option for our brain and an important member of the list of brain foods.
Health
experts have found that eating nuts daily leads to better cognitive functioning
in our later years.
They
are rich in antioxidants, omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin B6 and E.
The
antioxidant effects of vitamin E reduce free radical brain damage, lower the
risk of Alzheimer’s, dementia, and improve cognitive functioning.
In
2014, a study found that women who consumed nuts regularly over the many years
had a sharper memory as compared to those who did not.
On
the other hand, omega 3 fatty acids play a vital role in brain development and
improve memory problems.
Vitamin
B6 helps to produce neurotransmitters, which maintain the proper
neural coordination.
This
vitamin also helps regulate the energy supply in the brain.
As
we know, our brain is the fattiest organ, and it needs healthy fat-rich brain nourishing foods, like almonds,
walnuts, hazelnuts, etc.
But
nuts are calorie-dense foods, so practice portion control. The serving size should
be 5-7 nuts per day.
However,
nuts are well-tolerated, safe to consume, but those who have a nut allergy, and
pulmonary aspiration should avoid this brain
food.
read more: 12 Health Benefits Of Almonds
2. Edible Seeds
Among various brain nourishing foods, some
edible seeds play a vital role in cognitive health.
They
contain protein, healthy unsaturated fats vitamin B, minerals, like zinc, iron,
magnesium, and many more.
The powerful antioxidants protect our brain from oxidative brain cell damage.
Amino
acid tryptophan of seeds converts into serotonin, which is a feel-good hormone,
that enhances our mood, and fight against depression.
Edible
seeds, such as pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds are well-known brain-boosting foods.
Especially
pumpkin seeds are not just delicious snacks to munch on, they provide massive
benefits to our brains.
Their
powerful antioxidant property blocks free radical damage.
Pumpkin
seeds are also containing a significant amount of dietary zinc, iron,
magnesium, copper, and all of these are essential for healthy brain functions.
Zinc
is particularly important for nerve signaling. Its deficiency has been found to
cause a lot of neurological and brain-related issues.
On
the other hand, magnesium is vital for good memory and learning capacity. The
deficiency of magnesium has been linked with depression, migraines, and
epilepsy.
Additionally,
copper also helps to control nerve signals and its deficiency may cause
neurodegenerative diseases.
read more: Top 11 Zinc-rich Foods & Their Health Benefits
3. Exotic Fruit Avocado
Another popular brain nourishing food is
avocado, an exotic fruit.
Avocado
is not just for healthy sandwiches, and delicious salads. It is an excellent
source of healthy unsaturated fat for our brain.
High
blood pressure and cognitive decline are interrelated. Here is the importance
of this miracle fruit.
Avocado
helps to reduce blood pressure, aiding the prevention of cognitive decline and increasing
blood flow in the brain.
The
omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin E of avocado naturally act as an antioxidant and
prevent free radical damage.
They
are also an important source of vitamin K as well as potassium. Both prevent
the risk of brain stroke.
On
the other hand, excess homocysteine can alter the production of serotonin, and
dopamine. Both of these feel-good hormones regulate mood, hunger, and quality
of sleep.
Folate
of avocado prevents homocysteine formation and enhances our mood.
Additionally,
MUFA and other antioxidants of this brain
food reduce inflammation in the brain and protect overall brain health.
read more: Health Benefits Of Avocado
4. Delicious Blueberry
Without blueberry, your list of brain foods can
never be complete.
This
superfood provides several health benefits, but we are talking about its
cognitive health benefits.
Blueberries
are a powerhouse of antioxidants. They are rich in flavonoids which help to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation in the brain.
This
brain food contains 4 types of
antioxidants, such as anthocyanin, catechin, caffeic acid, and quercetin. All
of these prevent free radical cell damage.
Research
has found that these bioactive compounds improve communication between brain
cells, and help them form new connections by increasing plasticity.
Blueberry
may help to delay or reduce age-related neurodegenerative diseases.
As
the brain nourishing foods,
blueberries boost memory power and the ability of learning.
They
also improve other cognitive functions, such as reasoning, decision making,
verbal comprehension, and numerical ability.
Next
time you are making oatmeal, make sure to add blueberries as a sweetening agent
instead of refined sugar to explore their health benefits.
read more: Top 12 Health Benefits Of Blueberry
5. Miracle Veggie Broccoli
Broccoli
is not only a superfood for the whole body, but it is also a well-known brain-boosting
food.
It
is rich in vitamin C, B, K, β-carotene, minerals such as calcium, iron, and a
significant source of dietary fiber.
The
antioxidant effects of vitamin C protect our brain from oxidative stress.
The
nutrients of broccoli maintain proper blood circulation, remove heavy metals
and take part in brain detoxification.
Vitamin
K plays a vital in the formation of sphingolipids, a type of fat, particularly
abundant in the brain and essential to the development of the functional
integrity of the nervous system.
Research
also suggests that broccoli can help contribute to the brain healing itself in
the event of an injury.
Few
studies also suggest that adequate vitamin K consumption increases memory and
cognitive status.
Beyond
vitamin K, the bioactive compounds of this brain
food provide anti-inflammatory effects and protect the brain cells.
read more: Top 14 Health Benefits Of Spinach
6. Medicinal Herb Turmeric
Another important, and very popular brain-boosting
food is turmeric.
Turmeric
has gained a lot of popularity for its numerous health benefits. This medicinal
spice offers several brain benefits.
It
contains a very important plant compound called curcumin.
Research
has found that curcumin can cross the blood-brain barrier, entering our brain
and feeding its cells.
Curcumin
is an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant compound that has been linked to reducing
oxidative stress and preventing damage to brain cells.
Curcumin
has been found to help people with the neurodegenerative disease Alzheimer’s
due to clearing the amyloid plaques.
It
may also improve our memory. As a member of the list of brain foods, turmeric is also effective for other
cognitive issues.
If
you have been struggling with depression, drinking a turmeric latte may help.
Curcumin
compound in turmeric also boosts serotonin, and dopamine, necessary to improve our
overall mood.
Research
has found that curcumin improved depression symptoms like antidepressants over
six weeks.
The
brain has a growth hormone called neurotrophic factor that makes brain cells
grow. Curcumin boosts this growth hormone, helping our brain cells thrive.
So,
make sure that turmeric will be one of the ingredients in your daily diet.
read more: Top 8 Health Benefits Of Garlic
7. Healthy Green Tea
Green tea is another healthy food for our brain.
However,
it is a beverage, but as we all know, it is a treasure of nutrients. It boosts
the healthy functioning of our brain.
Health
experts have found that it improves cognitive performance, alertness, and
memory.
This
brain-healthy beverage contains a particular type of amino acid, called
L-theanine.
L-theanine
can cross the brain-blood barrier, increase the activity of GABA
neurotransmitters, reduce anxiety, help us feel more relaxed, and focused.
This
amino acid also calms us down by increasing the frequency of alpha waves in the
brain.
On
the other hand, green tea contains flavonoids catechin, epicatechin and they
have an antioxidant property that reduces free radical cell damage.
The
antioxidants in green tea help protect the brain from mental decline,
especially with diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
So,
you get to relax and gain positive health benefits with this brain nourishing drink.
read more: Top 14 Health Benefits Of Pomegranate
8. Brain Activator Coffee
A
maximum of us cannot function without a nice warm cup of morning coffee. Yes!
This brain food is good for our
brains.
It
contains antioxidant caffeine, chlorogenic acid. Both are assisting our
cognitive function.
Adenosine
is a chemical messenger that makes us feel sleepy. Health experts say caffeine
in coffee keeps the brain alert by blocking adenosine. So, it acts as a brain
activator.
Caffeine
also boosts the feel-good hormone serotonin, enhances our mood, increases
alertness, and sharpens concentration.
Researchers
have found that drinking a large cup of coffee in the morning, or in smaller
quantities throughout the day help concentration.
Antioxidants
of this brain-boosting food might
reduce the risk of neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
But
we cannot consume gallons of it. The healthy serving size of coffee as a brain
food is 2-3 cups in a day.
More
than the serving size, it may cause anxiety as a side effect.
read more: Health Benefits Of Drinking Coffee
9. Dark Chocolate
Dark
chocolate is another popular brain food. It is good for our cognitive health.
Dark
chocolate and cocoa powder contain several brain-boosting compounds like
caffeine, flavonoids, and other antioxidants.
It
has been found that flavonoids in chocolates gather in areas of the brain
responsible for learning.
Flavonoids
give us an enhanced memory and slow down the mental decline we experience with
old age.
Generally,
dark chocolate is rich in 70% or higher cocoa content, whereas regular milk
chocolate contains 10-50% cocoa.
According
to research, dark chocolate is a legitimate mood enhancer.
Another study of over 900 people suggests that those who consumed chocolate more
frequently performed better in mental tasks, and intellectual performances than
those who rarely consumed it.
So,
next time includes dark chocolate in your grocery list.
read more: 10 Antioxidant-rich Foods & Their Health Benefits
10. Fatty Fish
Without fatty fish, your list of brain foods can
never be complete.
Generally, fatty fishes are seafood, and also
known as oily fish, like salmon, sardines, tuna, herring, trout, etc.
They
are a vital source* of omega 3 fatty acids. These fatty acids offer several
benefits for the brain.
60%
of the human brain is made up of fat, and half of the fat is omega-3 types.
Omega-3s
are essential for the building as well as the development of the neurons.
Omega-3s
are used by the brain for optimal functioning, such as memory, and learning.
Studies
have found that a lack of omega-3s may trigger the signs of depression. So, include oily fish in your diet if you
want to keep depression away.
People,
who ate boiled or baked fish regularly, had more gray matter** in their brains.
These
brain nourishing foods might slow age-related mental decline besides preventing
Alzheimer’s disease.
*Fatty fish is a vital source of omega-3 fatty acids. But
don’t worry if you are vegetarian, or vegan. There are some plant foods also
rich in omega-3s, such as soybeans, flaxseeds, nuts, etc.
**Gray matter plays a crucial role in our intelligence as it contains nerve cells that control memory, decision making, and emotions.
Now,
The Conclusion
The
brain is the most vital organ in the human body. It is in charge of all the
physio-chemical activities, like a heart beating, breathing, body temperature,
regulation, and coordination.
So,
it is very important to keep your brain in high, and proper working condition.
Here is the importance of brain
nourishing foods.
Our
brain is an intensive organ, and it requires adequate amounts of calories as
well as other nutrients.
Brain foods provide
all the essential nutrients, keep our brain healthy, and maintain proper
cognitive functions.
These
foods support our brain health, boost memory, concentration, alertness, and
mood.
On
the other hand, about 75% of the human brain is made up of water, why hydration
is very important. Dehydration can affect proper brain functioning.
The
consumption of too much empty-calorie, such as refined sugars, junk foods is
very harmful to the brain.
Cholesterol
in the brain acts as a key to learning, and memory, that is why healthy fat-containing
brain-boosting foods are vital to
present on the daily diet.
Alcohol abuse
affects our brain in several ways.
read more: 10 Harmful Effects Of Alcohol Abuse
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